The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is currently accepting applications for its Seeding Solutions funding opportunity.

For 2019, FFAR anticipates funding at least one meritorious and transformative application in each of newly redesigned Challenge Areas. This year, FFAR is placing priority on those projects that demonstrate strong partnerships and significant agricultural advancements through innovation.

They are actively seeking projects that foster innovation with the potential for transformative impact in each of FFAR’s Challenge Areas. FFAR will only consider research applications that:

Have the potential for a transformative impact within the selected Challenge Area. The Challenge Areas are:

Demonstrate partnerships with different sectors (private, NGOs, governments, academia, end users, etc.), such that research outcomes may be scalable and applicable to food and agriculture systems. Applications that demonstrate strong partnerships by way of matching from external sources outside the applicant institutions are encouraged. These partners may include but are not limited to private sector, non-profits, commodity and trade groups, state governments, and others that do not traditionally work in agriculture.

Contribute to the goal of sustainable food and agriculture, defined as practices that, “satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; make the most efficient use of non renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operation; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole”.

Serve the public good by making data open and accessible to the public, creating unique economic development opportunities, and/or contributing to food and agriculture workforce development.

Award Information

Anticipated Project duration: Between 12 and 60 months

Minimum Request from FFAR per Application: $300,000

Maximum Request from FFAR per Application: $1,000,000

Eligibility Criteria

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research welcomes applications from all U.S. institutions of Higher Education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, government-affiliated researchers, and domestic and international organizations.

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.

To be considered, applications must describe transformative research that addresses and provides solutions to an intractable problem and accelerates innovation within FFAR’s Challenge Areas.

They define innovation for this request for applications (RFA) in three categories:

Applied Innovation: Application and validation of new or emerging technologies, processes or management strategies to address major challenges in food and agriculture.

Re-imagined Innovation: Adaptation of existing technologies, processes or management strategies for use in entirely new agricultural applications.

Radical Innovation: Development of new technologies, software, algorithms, methodology or products.

How to Apply

Applicants must download the application template via the given website.